Panthers pull away from Coyotes in 3rd for 5th straight win

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Sam Reinhart and Matthew Tkachuk scored 42 seconds apart in the third period and the Florida Panthers won their fifth in a row, 4-1 against the Arizona Coyotes at Mullett Arena on Tuesday.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 21 saves, and Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist for the Panthers (23-12-2). Florida and the Edmonton Oilers are the only NHL teams with multiple winning streaks of at least five games this season.

“We're just playing our game, playing the way we want to and building our game at the same time,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said. “This was a big, big win for us. We wanted it really bad, and I think we played that way too. Like we wanted to.”

Alex Kerfoot scored short-handed, and Karel Vejmelka made 35 saves for the Coyotes (19-15-2), who had won two straight and six of seven. Vejmelka had won four in a row.

“In the third, we got emotional and had a tough time to stay focused and keep our composure and stay with it,” Arizona coach Andre Tourigny said. “They’re a really good team … and you’ve got to think quick to play against a team like that. This experience, we have to learn from it.”

Reinhart made it 2-1 on a power play at 7:56 of the third period, redirecting Barkov’s sharp-angle pass from along the goal line for his sixth goal during the winning streak. Barkov’s assist was his ninth in five games and the 416th of his career, passing Jonathan Huberdeau for the most in Panthers history. 

“I don't know how many more records are out there that he hasn't broken, but I'm sure he's just chipping away at each and every single one,” Tkachuk said.

Barkov said the multiple team records he holds including games (698), goals (254) and points (670) “all feel amazing, but they’ll feel better after [his] career is over.”

Tkachuk’s first goal in 10 games extended the lead to 3-1 at 8:38, on a rebound that deflected in off Coyotes defenseman Michael Kesselring.

“We've been good in these type of games, we know how to how to handle them and we don't panic,” Barkov said. “We know every game is going to be tough … so to get those two goals there gave us a little breather.”

Gustav Forsling’s empty-net goal at 17:39 made for the 4-1 final. 

Verhaeghe’s fourth goal in five games gave Florida a 1-0 lead at 10:46 of the first period. Verhaeghe’s pass on a Panthers rush deflected off Coyotes forward Nick Bjugstad’s skate back to Verhaeghe for a wrist shot from the hash marks. 

Florida is 16-0-2 when scoring first. 

“But they made it tough tonight, they fly around the ice, they're a good hockey team; it didn't really seem like a 4-1 game,” Reinhart said. “They certainly had their chances, but we played solid defensively. When `Bob’ is playing like that, it's pretty fun to be in front of him.”

Kerfoot’s goal tied it 1-1 at 3:17 of the third. Kerfoot stole the puck from former Arizona defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson at the blue line, then scored skating down the slot off Lawson Crouse’s giveback pass.

“Short-handed goals against can hurt you, but they didn't let it,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “The bench was fine, they just kept plugging. I think we've had enough success in the past that when we've had bad breaks, or bad events, they're confident in what they’re doing.”

The Coyotes couldn’t create any momentum from the goal.

“It’s frustrating we didn’t pull away after it,” Tourigny said. “But there were a lot of positives for us.”

Logan Cooley appeared to give Arizona an early lead at 2:41 of the first with a shot from the blue line, but the goal was quickly waved off because forward Liam O’Brien interfered with Bobrovsky.

NOTES: Bobrovsky, who won his fourth in a row and fifth in six games, is 10-2-1 against the Coyotes. … Barkov and forward Jonathan Marchessault of the Vegas Golden Knights are the only active players to lead their franchises in career goals, assists, points and games played. … Florida has a 46-31 scoring advantage in the third period. … The Panthers allowed their seventh short-handed goal. The Coyotes scored their third. …Verhaeghe has six points (three goals, three assists) during a three-game goal streak.